


Marriage

by shygaladriel



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Breakup, Divorce, Relationship End
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-27 05:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21113681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shygaladriel/pseuds/shygaladriel
Summary: Hera is the goddess of marriage.





	Marriage

Overhead the sky crackled and boiled with the fury of a storm. People ducked into shelter and quailed before the torrent.  
The door vibrated with successive rapping, only to be assuaged and halted upon its abrupt opening.  
“Hera!” The dark-haired purple goddess toned, her face clouding over further, “Wha-”  
“Artemis-” the name halted from the quivering lips of the goddess of the heavens. Tears flooding down the golden cheeks seemed to muffle the “please” she attempted.  
Artemis looked about the other goddess, there were bags upon bags, carried by various boys. Her eyes flickered back to that of Hera’s which pleaded. There was a moment of hesitation, then the goddess of the hunt swung the door open wide and stepped aside.

An awkward shuffling and muted murmuring ensued, as the bags and porters made their way into the residence of the goddess of maidens who stood still in the same place with a quizzical expression. Hera led them into a golden-bowered suite that had suddenly attached itself to the home of the purple goddess and directed the placement of the various items.  
Artemis leaned against the new archway in her home, mutely observing the proceedings. After a time, the porters now dismissed, Hera continued to fuss and mess about, moving items minutely from place to place.  
“Hera,” Artemis started.  
“I won’t.” Hera burst out. “I’m not going back.”  
“Ok…” the brows furrowed further on the face of the purple deity. “But it’s just…” she trailed off.  
Hera sank down into the soft comfort of one of the many low yellow couches, her eyes on the carpeted floor. But Artemis, not to be disuaged, gently closed the distance and crouched before her. Hera’s hands fluttered about, as if to rearrange yet another item, but the soft golden hands where halted in the firm sinewy purple grip. Hera’s breath came almost in gasps.  
“It’s not… I mean,” Artemis bit her lip. “I get that part but…” she indicated the house around with her other hand. “Why here?” Her eyes attempted to meet those of the goddess of marriage. “Why me?”  
Even the growl of the storm outside dulled. Breaths choked, snuffled, then gradually stilled before the seated form of the golden goddess. But Artemis, never called patient by anyone who knew her, remained in her station.  
“You’re…” Hera began, “no…” she hesitated, “You’ve never… approved… of…” she flipped Artemis’s hand and gently caressed it. “And I’m done.” She sniffed. “He can have who ever he wants now.” she finished sadly. “But you never-” she shifted excitedly “and I want to be like that! I want to… join the hunt.” her voice lifted, ending in an almost question.  
Artemis pulled her hand away and stood up. Join the hunt? What did she mean? Could she, and Artemis studied the tear-stained face before her, could she be serious????  
Hera broke eye contact and covered her face with her hands.  
“Never mind!” she giggled tearfully. “I could… I mean… I don’t even like hunting… and I…” She gasped, “I’ve been marri-”  
She was interrupted by Artemis grabbing her hand. “Hera, listen to me.” She pulled Hera up. “My companions are all maidens, but I have maidens who have been married, who haven’t been married but have been forced! I have a maiden who was born a boy.” she gestured, “And as for hunting, one of my companions doesn’t hunt, she plays instruments for us!”  
Artemis withdrew her hands and Hera sank back to sitting, Artemis knelt to meet her eyes. “We will make room for you, if you desire to be here, we want you here.”  
Hera sighed, but her eyes brightened a little, and a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”  
A knock sounded at the door, and Hera started.  
“I don’t want to talk to him…” She almost sounded fearful, but the edge in her voice told Artemis she was not about to lose a fight.  
Artemis stood, hands on her hips and the knock repeated.  
“I’ll get it.” Artemis gave a toss of her hair and stalked up to her front door.  
Mid knock she wrenched the door open. Instead of the charged purple god of lightning, a blue, teenage deity stood before her. “Who the f$#k are you?” She demanded.  
To her surprise, they breezed right by her.  
“Thank you SO much!” The blue deity enthused. “I came as SOON as I was summoned!”  
“Summoned?” Artemis closed the door without noticing.  
“Artemis?” Hera drew the visitor’s attention.  
“Oh!” they both said in surprise.  
“What?” Artemis startled at both of their reactions. “You know each other? Who-?” She turned towards the new person.  
“I haven’t seen you in a while…” the newcomer said slowly.  
Hera shuffled her feet, lingering in the doorway, her body muffled by a throw she had wrapped around her in comfort.  
The blue deity seemed to hold back as well at the sight of the golden goddess. “You’ve kept me away.”  
Hera lifted a trembling hand to her brow. “I… I couldn’t see you…”  
The deity took a step towards, almost automatically. “But I'm here now…”  
“Yes…” Hera’s face screwed up, from her proud posture seeming to tremble.  
“What’s going on???” Artemis interjected loudly, but neither paid attention.  
“Philautia…” Hera started… “I’ve been such a horrible grandmother-”  
But the blue deity had reached Hera and took her face in the blue hands. “That was the past,” and Hera’s hair was brushed behind her ears. “We have to accept that it happened and move on.”  
Then, at long last, Hera, the queen of heaven, embraced self-love.


End file.
